Flue cleaner



y w im Jan. 27, 1931. L. F. DENsMoRE FLUE CLEANER Filed Ari1 17, 1929 622 MS-.u es.

Patented Jan. 21, Y19:01

LEROY F. nENsMoRE, or xENosHm WISCONSINv FLUE (ILEANEBV Application filed April 17, 1929.V SerialNo. 355,980.

to provide a flue cleaner having a flexible handle for support-ing the cleaning element to permit it to be used in the tortuous passages of the return-flue radiators usually surrounding the combustion chambers of heating plants; to provide an improved form Cil of brace on said handle adapted to engage one side of the flue for rendering the handle unyielding so as to hold the cleaning element in position to effectively engage the opposite side of the flue; to provide a brace of this kind which is adjustable so as to be adapted for use in tlues which differ considerably in cross sectional shape;V and to provide improved means for securing the brace to said handle whereby the turning of the latter, relative to the brace, effects adjustment of the brace.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing an improved cleaner inserted in a flue which is shown in fragmentary section.

Fig. 2 is an axial section of the swivel connection at one end of the cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the jaws of the clamp which is threaded on the handle.

Fig. 5 is a section, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8, are sectional views similar to Fig. 5, but showing differenty forms of flues.

The most common type of flue cleaner heretofore in use consisted merely of a wire brush mounted on one end of a wire handle. When such prior cleanerswere used in long tortuous ilues having any diameter greater than the diameter of the brush,ethe iieXibility of the handle prevented the brush from being forced into effective contactwith all walls of the tube. For this reason, such prior cleaners have been objectionable.

The'aforementioned objection to prior devices is cured by the improved cleaner to which this invention is applied, wherein improved means is provided to engage one side of theflue for positioning the brush'or other cleaning elementin effective contact with the opposite'sideof the flue. `j y Flues 1, 2, 3 and 4 hereinlshown are merely illustrative ofthe large number of different typesl of flues in which'this cleaner may be use VIn the form shown, the improved cleaner comprises a fieXible handle 5 forming avsupport for a brush '6 and having a shoe or brace 7 adapted to bear against one wall of the flue foruforcing the brush 6 against the opposite wa I The handle 5 preferably comprises a piece ofjwire which is bentto form a grip 8'and which is twistedto form a helical screw9.

The brush 6 preferably comprises tufts of wire'bristles secured between the strands ofthe screw` portion 9. f

Intheconstruction illustrated, the brace 7 comprises a resilient wire adapted to be bowed so as to span the brush 6 and the ends of the brace are connected to the handle 5 by a swivel 10v and clamp 11, respectively.4

The swivel 10 com rises a ring member 12 secured to the braceg and rotatably mounted on aI collar 13 which embraces the end of the screw 9. The member 12 is secured against axial, shifting on the cqollar 13 by an annular shoulder 14 formed on one end of the collar and `a lock washer 15 secured tothe other end of the colla-r. Mounted on the washer 15, is a set screw 16 which extends into engagement with the screw 9.

In the formshown, the clamp 11 includes a pair of jaws 17 and 18 having apertures 19 and 20, respectively, for receiving a bolt 21.provided with a wing nut 22 for securing the two jaws together. y

Formed on the inner face of the jaw' 17 is a boss 23, around which the forward end of the brace 7 is looped. The boss 23 extends into a recess 24 formed in the inner face of the jaw 18. Y Y

Formed in the opposed faces of the jaws 17 and. 18, are grooves 25and 26, respectively,

which are screw threaded for engagement with the screw 9 of the handle 5 so that, by a relative rotation of the brace 7 and handle, the brace may be expanded and contracted.

In operation, the brace 7 is initially contracted by rotating the handle so as to move the clamp 11 outwardly toward the grip 8.

The brush 6 is then inserted into the flue through the clean-out door of the radiator, not shown. After the brush has been inserted as far as possible, the handle-5 is rotated so as to move the clamp l1 inwardly, thereby Y expanding the brace 7 into engagement With one side of the lue, which forces the brush 6 into effective contact with the opposite side.

After the brace 7 has been properly adjusted, the handle 5 is moved axially in the usual manner for scraping the soot out' through the clean-out door. The device may then be reversed for cleaning the other half of the iiue.

During the operation of the device, the brace 7 bears against the flue so as to secure the handle 5 against bending, thereby insuring proper contact of the brush with the opposite Wall of the iiue.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A flue cleaner comprising a lexible Wire handle, a brush mounted on one end of said handle, a bowed Wire brace spanning said brush and adapted to bear against one Wall of the `flue for positioning said brush in effective contact with the opposite Wall thereof, one end of said brace being rotatably connected to said handle and secured against lon- `O'itudinal'displacement relative to said hanc le, and a clamp mounted on the other end of said brace, said clamp being threaded to said handle whereby said brace is expanded and contracted by the relative rotation of said brace and handle.

Signed at Chicago this 15th day of April,

LEROY F. DENSMORE. 

